Every coffee has a story.
Open Parchment is a working proposal for the producer context layer for coffee: an open standard that would turn coffee's story into data that travels with it, from the producer's hands to your cup. The goal is to help producers own their record, share what makes their coffee special, and get paid fairly for it.
A working proposal. We're looking for people to shape it.
Not another form, database or certification. Open Parchment is a shared data standard the coffee ecosystem can build on. The forms, apps, traceability systems and certifications that already exist keep doing their jobs. Open Parchment is what lets them connect the dots back to the producer.
Why
About 95% of the world's 12.5 million coffee farms are smallholdings of 5 hectares or less (Enveritas). Most of those farmers' names disappear the moment their coffee is pooled with their neighbors' at a washing station or collection point. After that, every importer, roaster and coffee app describes it differently, so by the time it reaches your cup the producer's identity, story and reputation are gone.
Open Parchment would keep them attached, so drinkers and roasters can find and appreciate the people who grew their coffee, and producers can defend higher prices with the rich context behind every lot.
The idea is a shared way of writing down the facts about a coffee, starting with who grew it. Think of it like the label on a bottle of wine, except it's digital, open to everyone, and the farmer can write their own.
What it would do
A name that travels
Each producer would have one permanent ID that stays with their coffee through every exporter, importer and roaster.Producers in control
Farmers would decide what's public: their story, their process, what they were paid, or none of it.The season's story
Rain, drying, the best harvest in years. Told once, in the producer's own language, and linked to every lot.Codes, connected
ICO marks, importer codes and roaster SKUs would be linked, so a bag on a shelf leads back to the farm.Facts, not marketing
Process, decaf method and rest windows would be real data, so people and the tools they use can find exactly the coffee they want.Built on what exists
Designed to work with what coffee already uses, like the Global Coffee Data Standard, WCR variety names, farm-mapping tools and GS1 traceability.What it isn't
It isn't a company, a marketplace or a certification. Nobody would sell anything through it and nobody would own it. Anything we publish will be free and open for anyone to use.
Other projects built a place. This is a shared language. Places die. Languages spread if people use them.
Questions we're trying to answer
We don't have the answers yet. These are the questions we most want help with:
- Where does a producer's name and story actually get lost today, and at which handoff?
- What would make this worth the effort for a cooperative, washing station or importer?
- What should never be public about a producer?
- What would help a producer make the case for a better price?
- What would a roaster actually be willing to put on a bag?
- Who else is already working on this, and how should we work with them?
Share your perspective
We especially want to hear from producers, cooperatives, washing stations, importers and roasters. If you've lived this problem, tell us what we're getting wrong before it goes any further. A short note is plenty.